While our player base is extremely solid, the majority of you are older players and we canâ€™t seem to get the dozens of players who try us every day to stay for longer than a few seconds. If we could keep one of these guys a week, our player base would grow at a very nice rate. I am able to tell who logs in from where, and we probably get ten or so a day from TMC. These are experienced mudders whom are checking out different games, for one reason or another. Most likely because we are always high on the TMC rankings list.

That brought me to this idea, a player test mode. Basically, at level one, any newly created character can trigger the mode by typing ptest or ptest classname. Ptest alone will give the player a 4x40 character of whatever prime class he chose on the login screen. Ptest classname will switch their previous prime class to the newly named one. This is only temporary, of course. Ptest return brings them back to their original class 1 character.

The character is given the max learned percentage of spells and skills for the four classes that were given. The character is also decked out in the best equipment and given all 18 for stats. The title of the character is changed to ** Player Testing ** or something of that sort, so that you guys will know when somebody may need help or be encouraged to join one of your groups.

The player is severely limited in what commands or features the mud allows it to use. The character cannot get/drop/undertake/quest/quit, etc, etc. The list is too long to mention here, but you get the point.

For the most part, Im hoping that these guys will be able to test our game play, see what spells and skills we have, possibly kill a few creatures or join some of your groups. I will be happy with anything other than seeing these guys log into SlothMUD, and quitting within three minutes...

The majority of abuses have been covered, such as its near impossible to cycle for eq or gold with this character. Once a mob is killed by a player inside this mode, it is recreated without eq or gold. This does not happen if the player is in a decent sized group and this is because I am going to push to have you guys include these players, if you see them. Groups will get an exp bonus if one of these character is within your rankings, as well their levels do not count against the exp, which is split by you, a very nice double bonus. Also, any leader of a group including at least four players, can summon these players, regardless of what continent they are on. Again, this is to encourage the inclusion of these new players.

This does not mean that abuses are not left and wonâ€™t be exploited. I am going to say this once, if I see people abusing this feature to benefit one of their online characters, there will be repercussions. What exactly does this mean? I will let you guys figure it out when it happens. Any exploit I expect to be reported or emailed to me, splork@slothmud.org with an explanation. Drachma will be rewarded, as it has been for the hours of player testing which has already taken place by a few volunteers. I have spent nearly 60 hours coding this feature to bring players to the game we all love, please support the feature and help make it a success. Please donâ€™t abuse it and appreciate the fact the Immortals are trying to build our player base back to what it once was.

The experience gained inside test mode is mostly work exp, but can be used when the player returns to their level 1 character. This is going to be very similar to morting of years passed. Hopefully, these guys will be able to skip the boring tickling levels, join a few groups, and make friends. If this happens, I fully expect some of these guys to stay with us. Mostly, its up to you. Invite these guys into your groups, teach them some sloth techniques, make them feel at home, and I bet our player base begins to grow.

Im posting one last reminder regarding ptesting. This is mostly a feature for players wanting to test the spells and skills of another classo/prime class or new players to sloth. This is not a feature to help one of your other characters or friends characters cycle mobs/honor/exp/gold or whatever.

I fully realize not all abuses have been covered but I have also asked you guys not to abuse them. This fact is clearly stated in the helpfile and in the original post. This really is the last warning. The next people I see abusing the feature will find themselves locked out of the characters benefiting and a second abuse will result in a month ban.

Ive added this feature to hopefully help bring us some new players, please work with us when we ask for your support and not forcing us to make a very useful feature into something that sucks because we had to lock it down like Fort Drum. Its really not much to ask.